Sinar P as LF enlarger?

Anyone out there adapted a Sinar P to enlarging?
I'm starting to accumulate 5x7 negatives and sooner or later I'm going to want to enlarge them. Any tips?
am thinking that if I do this I'd use an LED screen/light box as a diffused light source and use mainly taking lenses for enlarging at least initially to save money.

I'm sure you can, but a Sinar P makes a very expensive enlarger. Just sell you Sinar, buy a LF enlarger and pocket the difference.

I do use the front standard of a Sinar P at the lensboard end of one of my big enlargers. Everything behind that is 100% custom, including the
bellows. It's convenient for minor correction tweaks and well scaled to a massive machine like mine.

Any tips?

Click to expand...

I'd look for an inexpensive enlarger.

When I was in the search mode I used "Search Tempest" (Craigs List search) and looked in a 3 to 5 hour driving-distance radius for a few months. I used search terms like "enlarger" "Durst" "Darkroom" "8x10" "De Vere"

Just for fun I punched in the search "Durst 8x10" and got this hit in a second:

$900 De Vere 5108

There's no reason you shouldn't be able to use your camera as an enlarger. When you're not using it to enlarge, you can return it to it's normal configuration. I do this with my 5x7. Though not a heavy monorail, my 5x7 can be placed on a tripod and pointed down with no trouble. I use a wooden tilt platform that allows me to put weight on the back to counterbalance the camera. Remove the camera back and put it in a safe place. A negative carrier made from mat board, a diffuser material, and a simple lamphouse set on the carrier does the job. If you use a bulb, it should be some distance from the negative to minimize heat. The lamphouse I use is made from mat board, 15" tall, with a small aluminum shop-lamp inside. A normal 60w-75w bulb can do the job. Some modern view camera lenses will not function well for enlarging. But testing different lenses will take care of that. I've used a rapid rectilinear with fine results.


Here's an enlarging camera that probably resembles your camera, if used in a horizontal configuration.
http://piercevaubel.com/cam/ekc/daylightenlarging.htm

Thanks all! I think I will keep the Sinar P, indeed I might even get 8x10 equipment for it someday. But, I don't see space for another dedicated enlarger and I expect one of my kids to inherit the leitz 35mm I received as a gift.

Six months ago I tried using a lightbulb (LED), tracing paper for a diffuser along with the ground glass on my 100 years old 1/2 plate camera with a rapid rectilinear lens and a 4x5 negative gaff taped inside. I know view cameras can be used as projectors/enlargers. It was really cool to that 4x5 as a 10x12.5!

I am looking for specifics on how it has been done. If it has been done.

Maybe Sinars are so high class no one else has ever even proposed such a preposterous use for one! You almost never see a Ferrari delivering pizza or towing a trailer...(Sarcasm).

I love my 8x10 sinar P. It's a true work of engineering and art. I lusted after one for over a decade. Bought one on ebay a few years back for $700. Heavy as hell. A joy to use.